Bathtub



Dec. 12, 1950 c, J, RODMAN 2,534,147

BATHTUB Filed April 1, 1946 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 I N VEN TOR. (0725/1 65 7750mm BY a Dec. 12, 1950 c. J. RODMAN BATHTUB 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed April 1, 1946 I INVENTOR. Czflfif/vci fAoa/M/v BY 1? p Patented Dec. 12, 195

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE BATHTUB Clarence J. Rodman, Alliance, Ohio Application April 1, 1946, Serial No. 658,695

8 Claims.

This invention relates to an improved type of steel bathtub. More particularly, it relates to a tub of the universal type; i. e., a tub, both ends of which are substantially identical with the drain at the longitudinal center and the waterpipe connections also at about the longitudinal center. Such a tub may be installed without regard for lefts or rights. The bell of the tub is preferably drawn from a single sheet of steel and by a single stroke of the press. The preferred tub of this invention has an apron across the front of it with a movable panel toward the middle which serves to conceal plumbing located behind it while permitting ready access thereto when necessary.

It is generally known that many accidents occur in bathtubs. This is largely due to the fact that most tubs slope toward one end. The preferred tub of this invention shown in the drawings has a stepped bottom, the lowest area being in the middle. Each stepped area is substan tially horizontal. A symmetrical tub with a stepped bottom is described in my U. S. Patent 2,346,942, and although the tub of that patent is an improvement over the prior-art tubs, the flat portion at the center of the tub intended as a place for the bather to stand, on entering and leaving the tub, is too far from the front of the tub to entirely eliminate the hazard of slipping. In the preferred tub of this invention, at the middle of the tub at the base of the front wall is an area which extends at least to the center line of the tub which is flat and level or substantially so. It is large enough for an adult bather to stand upon. This design reduces to a minimum the chances of slipping on entering and leaving the tub.

The drain and overflow and the water-pipe connections for supplying the tub are all preferably located at the middle and front of the tub. The water may be supplied to the tub through two separate spouts but is preferably supplied through a common spout which may be located on the center line of the tub or at either front corner or in any other desirable position. Although the handles for adjusting the flow of hot and cold water may be located within the tub, they are preferably located on the outside.

There is an apron across the front of the tub which extends from the rim of the tub to the floor. It comprises one or more movable panels located toward the middle through which the plumbing is accessible. If the handles for adjusting the flow of water are located on the outside of the tub, they are preferably located not far from these panels. When located on the outside of the tub, knobs-such as dials or the like-are preferred to the usual handles because they do not protrude as far from the face of the tub; and there is, therefore, less danger of anyones bumping into them. They may be countersunk into their backing. By moving the panel or panels, one easily gains access to the water pipes, overflow, and drain. The panels may slide or be hinged or held in place by friction, etc. They are preferably removable as illustrated in the drawings.

The tub of this invention is advantageously supported by wedges which are fastened to its bottom. By supporting the weight of the tub and contents in this manner, a lighter gauge steel may be employed than where the tub is supported from its rim. The supports are arranged so as to prevent the bottom from flexing when a bather rests his weight on any portion of it.

After assembling, the tub is porcelainized in any suitable manner.

The invention will be further described in con Fig. 4 is a perspective view of a preferred form,

of wedge support;

Fig. 5 is an end view of the tub of the preceding figures (omitting the wedge-shaped support) Fig. 6 is an enlarged detail, being a section through the tub and apron on the line 66 of Fig. 1 and showing a part of the plumbing;

Fig. 7 is a front elevation of another preferred form of the tub; and

Fig. 8 is a section on the line 8-8 of Fig. '7,

with the dials removed.

The tub I is preferably drawn from a flat sheet.

of steel. The reference numerals 2 indicate the steps in the bottom of the tub, each of which is. shallow, being only a fraction of an inch, perhaps A inch. The overflow is indicated at 6, and a single spout I is provided for both hot and cold water. Fig. 6 shows the cold-water pipe 8. Directly in back of it is the hot-water pipe. Both,

feed through the mixer 9 and thence under the front rim of the tub to the spout l and shower [0. The dials H and I2 regulate the flow of. the cold and hot water, respectively. These dials arepreferably countersunk in the covering panel, as indicated at I3.

The flip valve 14 controls the flow of water to either the spout l or shower it] which may be located at a 45 angle in either front corner of the tub.

The entire weight of the tub rests on two wedge-shaped supports. These may be mere wooden wedges which taper from a feather edge a small fraction of an inch thick to a thickness of perhaps half to three-quarters of an inch or slightly more, depending upon the number of steps in the bottom of the tub and the height of each. The preferred supports are metal and are advantageously welded to the bottom of the tub.

The drawing shows two double-H wedges formed of two tapering channel bars 55 ant-l crossbars I6. The supports are spot-welded to the tub in the positions marked as in Fig. 1, there being at least one weld between each-step of the bottom of the tub and each support. A tub with such a support welded to it at each end is readily placed with minimum labor.

The tub is designed to fit into a recess, and the flange or lip 26 serves as a splash board to pif'eveiit water from seeping down around the edge o f the tub on the sides where it abuts the wall. The edge of the rim on the fourthside of the'tub is bent over at 2 I 'to form a ledgeon which a bather may sit.

, In the preferred design of tub shown in the drawin s the front of the tub is covered with two apron sections 36 and 3| and'a central removable panel 32. The panel "preferably extends from the rim of the tub to the floor although "a shorter panel which fits into the apron in any suitable manner may be employed. In the drawings the apron portions 38 and 31 "are permanently fastened to the two ends ofthe tub and'extend from the rim to the floor, and the removable panel 32 occupies thes'pace between them.

The "two apron portions sta d 3| are welded to the rim of the tub. Fig. illustrates a preferred method of doingthis. The rim of the tub is turned back so that the edge portion 3 is parallel to the floor. The apron p'ortions30 and 3| are preferably of steel "of any suitable gauge. They may be of lighter gauge than the tub. Their top and bottom edges arebent backward to form the flanges 35 and 36. Thee'dges of'the flange 34 on the tub and the flange '35 on the apron are brought together, and then the two pieces are welded. Skip-welding with a carbon arc at the interface of the flangesis preferredbecause it produces substantially no distortion of the "apron portions. Theweldin'g is preferably completed before'the bending of the rim is complete'd'an'd while the flanges are readily accessible. The eorners 38 strengthen the rim, 7

In one preferred arrangement illustrated in Fig. '5, the middle panel '32 is provided with a hooked upper edge 46, and the middle portion of the flange 3 on the tub is hooked up at El so thatthe panel may be hooked in place. The panel is preferably bent under'at a right angle at the bottom which rests on the floor. This serves to steady the panel. If the panel sets back in further than the aprons 3B and 31, forwardly bent flanges maybe provided on the panel to meet the edges of the apron portions, or the "edges of the apron portions may be flanged backwardly at the center opening to meet the panel. Slots 413 are cut in the upper edge of the panel so that the panel may be slipped up in back of the dials II and [2. The hand hold facilitates reinbyal and'replacement of the panel.

Instead of providing slots in the top "of the panel, bir'c'ular openings may be provided for the 4 valve stems to pass through, and the dials may be fastened to these in any suitable manner after the panel is in place.

Angle braces 56, welded to the rim and the end flanges of the apron at each end of th tub, hold the apron in place. The stepped depressions 5! on the face of the aprons are ornamental and dampen any resonance in the tub. With this design it is not necessary to coat the back surace of the apron with a sound-deadening material. The overfiow drain 52 (Fig. 6) is of any usual type. On removal of the panel 32, the plumber or the householder has ready access to the water pipes, overflow, and drain. The tub is preferably of the universal type with the plumbing connections located toward its center so that any tub will fit any location.

As best shown in Fig. 5, there is space on both sides of the panel 32 between the apron portions 36 and 31, and the bell of the tub. This be used for storage, as for a plunger for cleaning the drain, or shelves may be provided 7 for brushes, soaps, and the like. The panel 32 or two or more such panels maybe hinged to swing forward or upward where frequent use is to be made of the storage space in back of the apron portions although preferably the panel or panels will be made removable. v

No 'iiiechanic'al means is "shown for opening and closing the drain because conventional means may be employed which ma be operated from within the tub or outside of the tub, as desired.

Ahalternative aprdn arrangement, often pre-' ferred, is shown in Figs. 7 and 8. The apron 88 extends across the entire frdnt of the tub and may be fastened to the tub as illustrated in Fig. 5 or in any other desired manner. The disk 6|, which may, for example, be aboutl ih'che's in diameter, is held in "plaee through'the friction of the four spring clips 62 which 'pre'ss against the edge of the opening 63 in the apron. Fig. 8 shows the valve stem E l with the squared (or he'iiagonal) portion 86 to'receive the squared (or hexagonal) center hole or the dial S8 and the threaded end es to receive a hut to hold the dial in place.

The center of each dial is advantageously raised with several webs radiating from the raised center to facilitate its manipulation.

- Modifications may be made in the designs illustrated without departing from the scope of the appended claims.

What I claim is: s

1. A bathtub, the lowest area of the bottom in which the drain is locatedbeing substantially level, being separated from the-adjacent bottom area, by a shallow step, extending from the base of the front wall of the tub to beyond the longitudinal center, and being large enough for an adult to stand upon.

2. A drawn-steel bathtub with a bottom of stepped, substantially level areas, the drain being located in the lowest of said areas which extends from substantially the front of the bottom of the tub to at least the longitudinal center of the tub, said lowest area being separated from the adjacent bottom area of the tub by a shallow step and being large enough for an adult to stand upon.

'3. A drawn-steel bathtub with a bottom of shallowly stepped, substantially level areas with'the drain at the center of the front of the tub and at substantially the same level as the center area of thbbtto'm, Said 'center'area andtheare'a S111- rounding the drain together being large enough for an adult to stand upon and being separated from the adjacent area by a step of substantially uniform height, the two ends of the bottom of the tub being substantially symmetrical with respect to the drain.

4. A drawn-steel bathtub with a bottom of shallowly stepped, substantially level areas with the drain at the front of the bottom of the tub and at substantially the same level as the center area of the bottom, said center area and the area surrounding the drain together being large enough for an adult to stand upon and being separated from the surrounding area by a step of substantially uniform height, the two ends of the bottom being substantially symmetrical with respect to the drain, the front rim of the tub being bent over and back with an apron welded tothe portion which is bent back, and a movable panel in the apron in front of the drain, and plumbing connected with the tub and being accessible when the panel is moved.

5. A steel bathtub with an apron extending from the rim of the tub to the floor, two dials for controlling the flow of hot and cold water, respectively, located in front of the apron and connected with hotand cold-water pipes for supplying the tub located behind the apron, a portion of the apron being movable to give access to said pipes.

6. A bathtub with a rim around at least a part 4 thereof, at least a part of the tub below the rim being hidden from view by a movable panel, two dials for controlling the flow of hot and cold water, respectively, located in front of the panel and connected to pipes for supplying hot and cold water to the tub which are located in back of the panel, and at least one cut-away portion in the movable panel through which pass connections between the dials and the hotand cold-water pipes.

7. A bathtub, a steel apron in the front thereof, hotand cold-water pipes 10:" supplying the tub located behind the apron, a hole in the apron and a movable cover therefor through which hole the pipes are accessible, and valve-operating means for controlling the flow of water through the respective pipes passing through the hole.

8. A bathtub with a steel apron extending across only the front of the tub and adapted to abut against walls at the two ends of the tub, hot and cold water pipe connections and the drain from the tub all connected with the front of the tub at substantially its center, a central portion of the apron being removable to give access to said hot and cold water pipes and the drain, and in front of the apron valve-operating means for controlling the flow of water through said respective hot and cold water pipes.

CLARENCE J. RODMAN.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 1,796,273 Sutter et a1 Mar. 10,- 1931 1,854,578 Catto H Apr. 19, 1932 1,927,745 Jonsson Sept. 19, 1933 2,237,808 Berg Apr. 8, 1941 2,267,618 Shapiro Dec. 23, 1941 2,305,846 Coordes Dec. 22, 1942 2,322,497 Widman June 22, 1943 2,346,942 Rodman Apr. 18, 1944 FOREIGN PATENTS Number Country Date 1,246 Great Britain Jan. 23, 1891 424,083 Great Britain Feb. 14, 1935 557,643 Great Britain Nov. 29, 1943 

